Last verified: 2026-08-29 · Source: primary legislation and official status tables
Recovering a debt from a debtor in France
What applies, what it realistically takes, and where the limits are.
Confirmed parameters
Only values checked against a primary source appear here. Where a parameter has not been confirmed, it is left out rather than estimated.
- Parameter
- Limitation period for commercial monetary claims
- Value
- 5 years
- Source
- Code de commerce art. L110-4; Code civil art. 2224
- Last verified
- 2026-08-29
- Parameter
- A fee consisting solely of a share of the result is prohibited; a result-based supplement to a base fee is permitted
- Value
- quota litis prohibited
- Source
- Loi 71-1130 art. 10
- Last verified
- 2026-08-29
- Parameter
- Private investigation activity without CNAPS authorisation is a criminal offence
- Value
- up to 3 years imprisonment and EUR 45,000 fine
- Source
- Code de la sécurité intérieure art. L621-1, L622-5
- Last verified
- 2026-08-29
Enforcement route
The applicable route for this jurisdiction is recorded as EU. The New York Convention applies to arbitral awards.
Practical constraints
Pacte de quota litis запрещён; премия за результат сверх базового гонорара допустима. CNAPS — детективы
What we do here
Debtor in France?
The Debt Check is free and tells you whether the claim is worth pursuing.
Start a Debt Check